


I Put a Spell on You

by RogueCompanion



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Hand fasting, Kingdom Law, Magic, Manipulation of a Monarch, Potential Public Execution, Spells & Enchantments, Wedding, not graphic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-21
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-10-25 13:01:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20724620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueCompanion/pseuds/RogueCompanion
Summary: Betrothed at a young age, Rey is finally joining her future Husband, Prince Ben of Alderaan, in his Kingdom. But it is not the same gorgeous country she remembers, and he is not the same sweet caring companion she met in her childhood. What happened after the death of the King? And who is this strange man at her intended's side?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little something to get everyone in the mood for Spooky Season!
> 
> Fun fact: I wrote this last year for my Countdown to Halloween collection, but it got away from me, and it was well past Halloween before I'd finished. So I waited until now to finally post. With the first day of Autumn in the states being this coming Monday, I figured what better way to get in the spirit! I hope you all enjoy!
> 
> Thank you so much to the wonderful [colliderofhadron](https://colliderofhadron.tumblr.com) and gorgeous [fettuccine_alfreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fettuccine_alfreylo/pseuds/fettuccine_alfreylo) for beta'ing this fic! And a special thanks to [Liz](https://twitter.com/sunxxmoonlight) for the gorgeous mood board found at the end of the Chapter and on Twitter and Tumblr! You guys are amazing!

[ ](https://imgur.com/KJuiZe8)

Princess Rey of Jakku was in her ninth year when her life changed irrevocably.

The story begins one early spring, when it was decided that the Princess, upon reaching her 19th year, would be wed; betrothed to the heir apparent of the country of Alderaan, Prince Benjamin Skywalker Organa-Solo.

It was during a state visit to Alderaan and its reigning monarchs that the decision had been made. Rey’s mother sat her down and gently explained everything and the young girl certainly didn’t object to this decision, as she found that she really liked the quiet, mild-mannered boy who was almost ten years her senior.

She followed him around constantly, a silent shadow. They’d read together in the library or wander the gardens, neither one really having much to say to the other, but their relationship was companionable and he didn’t seem to mind her presence nearly as much as the adults would have assumed. He watched over her protectively, ensuring that her daring nature never got her into too much trouble, helping her when things occasionally went wrong - such as patching up her knee after she’d tripped over her trailing skirts while running through the garden or catching her when she’d climbed too high into one of the apple trees. Nerves overcame her upon noticing the height and kept her rooted on the branch, though she refused to confess her fear. For a little over a month they were inseparable.

The time finally came for Rey and her parents to return to their home country. Rey cried as she bade goodbye to her new friend and promised to write him often to maintain the strength of their friendship. Upon hearing her earnest declaration, Ben hugged her affectionately and ignored the bright pink embarrassment creeping across his face and ears, something his father would make fun of in the months to come.

Rey kept her word and wrote to him as often as she could. She diligently worked with her tutors to master spelling and train her chicken scratch-esque handwriting to something more legible. A reply was received for every letter she sent to her young Prince. His beautiful penmanship contrasted sharply to the unruly scrawls of her unpracticed hand, finally spurring her into taking her handwriting studies seriously. The two friends talked about everything, they shared everything with one another, and their relationship grew even more as a result.

~~~

As the year drew towards the fiery hues and morning chill of autumn, tragedy struck for young Rey just weeks before her 10th birthday. Her parents had left the kingdom for a diplomatic meeting and were accosted on the road. It appeared to be a robbery, the thieves caring little for those in the carriage, only concerned with the fineries to be found on their persons. Their shattered carriage was discovered at the bottom of a ravine.

A convoy was sent out to retrieve the broken bodies so that they could be properly laid to rest in a state ceremony. Young Rey was devastated and spent the days leading up to their funeral quietly locked in her room. It wasn’t until the arrival of the neighboring kingdoms’ royal families, and more specifically, Ben, that she spoke again, having not uttered a word since hearing of her parents’ demise.

Ben was the only one able to console her in any way. She spent every minute by his side while his family remained in her Kingdom.

The laws in her country stated that she was too young to ascend the throne and, as she was an only child, her father’s brother became King. He was a kind man, so very like her parents. After the royals had been laid to rest, he met with the King and Queen of Alderaan to discuss the marriage of their son to his orphaned niece and it was decided that the agreement would remain intact, as it was still of utmost importance to unite their Kingdoms.

No one was happier to hear this than Rey herself. She wasn’t sure that she could have survived had she lost both her parents and Ben, as their friendship had come to mean everything to her.

Unfortunately, the Organa-Solo family were unable to stay for very long, departing within a week of the funeral and, in the absence of her best friend, Rey returned to her depressed condition. The new King grew very concerned for his niece but had no idea what to do with the distraught girl. He reached out to a family friend to assume the role of Rey’s governess, a wise, older woman who had helped care for himself and his brother when they were children.

Maz Kanata was an astute woman of remarkably small stature, not too much taller than the child Rey herself. She came from a small village just outside the capital city, where the old Magics were still practiced and respected. She was considered a priestess among her people, being highly capable and experienced. She was revered by all who knew her. The woman was more than happy to be able to help Rey through this difficult time.

Rey instantly loved the woman. Perhaps it was her kind and caring nature, or maybe her beliefs regarding magic and death, that enticed Rey to become so quickly and completely attached.

Upon their first meeting, she told Rey that the dead weren’t truly gone and promised to teach her to communicate with her parents. She explained that it wouldn’t be like having a conversation with them but that, if she observed very carefully, she’d start to see the signs that they were still there.

This introduction to the old magics set Rey’s life onto a path she wouldn’t have originally taken, but it brought her such joy and, if Maz’s words were true, she was particularly talented for one who was not born into the life of a mage. She begged Maz to teach her everything she could, and the old woman consented, believing that the child’s raw talent should not be wasted.

As time passed, Rey’s life fell into a new rhythm. Her Uncle married and had a child, a boy whom she helped take care of and treated as her own brother. She made new friends and spent much of her time with them, all while attending her studies with Maz and her tutors and continuing her frequent correspondence with to Ben. Though they did not have the opportunity to see each other again, they remained in frequent contact for many years.

However, shortly after she’d entered her 15th year, she stopped receiving responses from him.

She had heard through the palace courtiers that Ben’s father had passed away. She begged her Uncle to allow her to visit him, to be there for him as he had been for her in her time of need. She was devastated when her request was refused - her Aunt was unable to travel, having recently given birth to her second child, and her Uncle would not permit the girl to travel alone.

For a long time, Rey still wrote to her elusive friend at least once a week, slowing to a monthly communication when his silence continued. She didn’t want to cease altogether, certain that he was busy grasping the complexities of running a Kingdom. She would be denying the truth if she were to claim that his ongoing silence didn’t hurt, but she was pleased that her letters to his mother, Leia, received responses. Rey was advised that Ben was just very busy and still spoke fondly of her.

~~~

The years continued to pass and, before long, Rey’s 19 th birthday was approaching with alarming haste. Six months before her birthday, a representative of Alderaan arrived to plan her impending move to the new Kingdom. It was agreed that she’d arrive at the beginning of her birth month with an envoy from Jakku, to include one of her best friends and lady-in-waiting, Rose. Rose was betrothed to a knight of Alderaan so it worked out perfectly for the two to travel together to wed their intendeds. The eve after her 19th birthday, she and Ben would finally be wed, and her life as his Queen would commence.

Once the plans had been finalized, the summer months could not move quickly enough for the excited young woman. She would, of course, miss her home and her family. This would be her final parting from Maz, as the woman was very old and would not be able to travel with her. Rey would find their separation unbearable as the wizened woman had been a surrogate mother to her. And she would miss her Aunt and Uncle, her cousins that felt more like siblings, her friends.

But all of that paled compared to the thought of seeing Ben again. She’d finally be reunited with her best friend in the world.

The week leading up to her departure was spent packing her belongings. She placed important items in bags that she would carry in the carriage with her; everything else would follow in a larger storage coach over the forthcoming weeks.

When the day was finally upon them, Rey and Rose kissed their families goodbye and began their long journey to Alderaan. Both of their families would be traveling to the country at the end of the month for the weddings but, until then, there was still much to do in Jakku so they remained behind for the time being.

~~~

It was a two-day ride to Alderaan, and Rey eagerly glanced out the window as they entered the capital city, hoping to remember it from her childhood. The streets and buildings of the city looked dirtier and more run down than she recalled, but her memories were those of an idealistic child, so she realized that her memories may not have been accurate.

The carriage traversed the sweeping drive on its approach to the castle, where they were met by a small welcoming party. The Dowager Queen stood at the bottom of the palace steps with a small contingent of the Royal Guard.

A member of the Queen’s personal guard opened the carriage and offered Rey, then Rose, a hand to assist them out of it. Leia rushed forward and pulled Rey into her arms.

“Oh, my darling child! It’s so good to see you again. You’ve grown so much!” She gushed while squeezing Rey tightly. Rey wrapped her arms around the woman to return the embrace.

“It’s so good to see you too, Your Majesty,” her eyes grew misty, but her smile was large and unwavering.

“I apologize for the absence of my son,” Leia said, pulling back from the hug, still clutching Rey’s arms and holding her out to have a look at her. “He’s just so busy these days, we all are. But he more than most. I’m sure you’ll see him at dinner this evening.”

“I’m sure the King is a very busy man. I’ll look forward to seeing him whenever I have the chance.” Rey smiled sweetly at the older woman, who had definitely aged, but she reasoned that it was not surprising as it had been ten years since she’d last seen the Queen. She also looked tired and somewhat nervous, which seemed odd to Rey, but she pushed it from her mind and reached back to grab Rose’s hand.

“This is my dear friend Rose Tico, Duchess of Hays Minor, and betrothed to your very own Sir Finnegan Trooper,” Rey formally introduced her travel companion, who sank into a bow before the Queen, who grabbed her and pulled her into a hug as well.

“It is my absolute pleasure to meet you, dear! I cannot wait to learn more about you!” Leia stated with enthusiasm. “Why don’t we make our way into the palace for some tea, while my maids take your things and get your rooms prepared for you.”

“That sounds lovely,” Rey stated. “There’s just one thing I need to grab and then we can go.” She reached into the carriage and retrieved a small bag that had been on the seat next to her. This held some very important items which she did not wish to fall into the hands of anyone else. She returned to Leia’s side, ready to follow her through the ornate front doors of the palace.

~~~

After a rather uneventful tea ceremony, the young women were shown to their respective rooms to rest and prepare for the evening meal, and more importantly, for meeting the King.

Their rooms were extravagant. A large four poster bed stood on a dais, slightly elevated above the rest of the room, with a cozy seating area across the room, comprising a few chairs, a love-seat, and a small table placed in front of the fireplace. An armoire and dressing table were placed on the other side of the bed from the door.

Rey’s decision to bring her bag with her now appeared to have been a prudent one, as ‘preparing their rooms’ apparently meant the maids going through all of her things and putting them away. Rey had spent the better part of an hour rearranging everything to her liking. She wasn’t distrustful by nature, but when it came to the contents of this bag, it was important that nothing was tampered with. To ensure its continued safety, she scoured the room for the perfect hiding place and, once located, stowed the bag away until such time as it may be needed.

Rose entered Rey’s room shortly before dinner to help her dress and primp for meeting her betrothed. Once ready, the two joined their contingent and made their way to the Great Hall for dinner.

Upon arriving, they were again greeted by the Queen and awaited the arrival of King Ben. He was late. They stood for close to half an hour before the doors opened again and the tardy King entered with his personal guard, laughing and in jovial spirits.

He was as handsome as Rey remembered. His form larger and bulkier, and his dark hair longer, covering his adorably large ears. Rey’s heavy countenance lightened considerably upon finally seeing her friend after all this time. He paused at the sight of the group from Jakku, his face falling.

“What’s this?” He demanded, somewhat accusingly.

Leia looked appalled by his response and stepped forward, hoping to save face in front of their esteemed guests.

“My son, I know it’s been many years, but surely you recognize your wife to be? This is her travel companion Rose, betrothed to your own Knight, Sir Finnegan. And their guard,” Leia informed her son, her face imploring him to behave.

His eyes widened as he properly observed Rey’s features, and he smiled sweetly at her.

“Of course. Please, forgive me,” he stepped forward and reached for her hand and, bowing slightly, he placed a delicate kiss to her fingers. “I had not realized that so much time had passed, and our union was already upon us.”

“I’m sure your mind has been occupied with far more important things, my King. There is nothing to forgive.” Rey curtsied as she spoke, exchanging another smile as he pulled away.

He turned and repeated the same motions with Rose, gently placing a kiss to her hand as she curtsied before him.

“A pleasure to meet you, Rose of Hays Minor. I have heard much of you from the correspondence you’ve shared with my good friend, Finn. I wish you both a long and happy marriage.” He straightened and pulled back.

“You are too kind Your Majesty,” Rose stated, a blush touching her cheeks.

“Well, I must apologize for keeping you all waiting. Let us sit and enjoy this fine meal that has been prepared.” With that, Ben turned and retreated to a seat at the head table. The guests were directed towards their seats, with Rey and Rose being placed at the head table with the King and his mother, and a handful of guards standing behind them keeping watch for anything amiss. The rest departed to smaller tables throughout the room to take their turns eating before switching with the guard keeping watch.

As they ate, Rey perceived a peculiar tension in the room. She tried to converse with Ben a few times and he was receptive at first but, after a while, he seemed to focus solely on his food and she turned to Rose instead.

Half way through the meal, the feast was interrupted by the door opening. A decrepit, bald man entered and took his place towards the back of the room. For a while all was quiet, and many people glanced at the old man. As he took the first bite of his meal, people began to talk again and everything returned to normal. It was unfathomable to Rey, who had observed the whole room with a critical eye. She noticed that Ben also seemed to tense up at this man’s entrance, and he did not appear to relax for the rest of the meal.

As dinner drew to a close, the old man approached their table unsteadily. At this closer proximity, she was able to see the horrible scarring on the side of the man’s wrinkled and sunken in face. He was inappropriately attired in a gaudy gold suit, looking like a man trying to dress above his station, and severely overcompensating in the act of it. He stopped in front of Ben, who at this point shuttered his expression completely, and gave a barely perceptible dip of his head, not even close to the bow expected by palace protocol.

“Your majesty,” he addressed Ben, the man’s deep gravelly voice sending shivers down her spine. “I had hoped that I could have a moment of your time this evening. There is something we must speak of.”

“I will meet you in my study after dinner,” Ben said, his voice as emotionless as his face. He nodded to the man who turned and made his way out of the room.

Rey was confused and discomfited by the brief yet loaded interaction. It was strange that the older man had not been introduced to her. He was obviously someone of significance as he had been allowed to dine with the royal family, but also because no one had stopped him from approaching the head table or speaking to the King directly. Rey also considered it strange that the man had not given a proper bow - such a sign of disrespect was practically unheard of.

Ben took a large pull from his goblet of wine and pushed out his chair.

“Please excuse me, it would seem I have some business to attend to.” He nodded to his mother and then turned to Rey, “It’s been a pleasure seeing you again, Rey. I look forward to our upcoming marriage.” All this was said in the same emotionless voice that he had used with the man. He rose and calmly walked out of the Great Hall, the two guards who had been standing behind him following him out.

Rey turned towards Leia to ask what all that had been about but stopped short when she saw the pinched look on the woman’s face. She and Rose exchanged a look then excused themselves, stating that they were tired after their travels, and headed to their rooms to discuss the weirdness of the day.

[](https://imgur.com/kcKl6Uz)


	2. I Can't Stand It, You Put Me Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New friends share unsettling tales of the kingdom, and Rey overhears something she really shouldn't have.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Friends! Happy Autumn! The best time of the year, in my opinion. I hope that you're enjoying this story. 
> 
> Please see the incredible mood board at the end of this chapter made by my amazingly talented beta, [fettuccine_alfreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fettuccine_alfreylo/pseuds/fettuccine_alfreylo)!

[](https://imgur.com/W6c8rr8)

Rey did not sleep well that night. Her dreams were filled with visions of creepy old men with scarred faces and a beaten down Ben. She woke in the early hours of the morning and decided it was best to commence the day instead of battle more bad dreams. She decided to read until Rose awoke and joined her.

When her friend finally entered her chambers, they were served a light breakfast in her seating area and discussed what they should do for the day. They settled on exploring their new home a while, as it wouldn’t do to get lost in the castle, and Rey was most excited to visit the gardens that she remembered loving so much in her childhood.

They wandered throughout the castle, locating important places such as the library and throne room, but the young ladies quickly grew weary of such pursuits and decided to make their way outside to the gardens. Even with the changes brought on by autumn they were beautiful. The crisp cool air had begun to turn the tree leaves orange and red, the breeze knocking them from their perches and assisting them gracefully to the ground.

As they wandered along the garden paths, they were approached by a dark-skinned man in a uniform identifying him as the King’s personal guard.

“Good morning, ladies,” the man greeted with a deep bow. “My name is Finnegan Trooper, and I believe that one of you is my lovely intended, Rose.” He flashed a bright smile as he looked between the two.

Rose stepped forward and held her hand out to him.

“You would be correct, Sir Finnegan, I am Rose of Hays Minor, and this is my dear friend and future Queen, Princess Rey of Jakku.” He gently grasped her hand and kissed the back of it, his eyes never leaving hers.

“You are absolutely as beautiful as I imagined, dearest Rose.” He turned and bowed to Rey, taking her hand and repeating the motion, but nowhere near as intimately. “It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness. Rose spoke of you in her letters. I’m grateful you were able to travel together and that you both won’t be so alone in this new place.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Sir Finnegan,” Rey said, curtsying slightly. “I’m so pleased to finally meet the man who has captured the attention of my best friend.”

“Please ladies, if it’s not too informal, I must insist that you call me Finn. Finnegan is such a mouthful, and when I hear it, I’m reminded of the many scoldings I received from my mother growing up!” He led them over to a nearby bench and motioned for them to sit. “How was your trip? Not too taxing, I hope?”

Rey decided to let Rose take the lead on this conversation, as this was her fiancé and she wanted them to be well acquainted.

“It wasn’t too terrible. The trip was long, but the company was good.” At this she flashed a cheeky smile at Rey.

“And how are you liking Alderaan so far? Is it worthy of being called home now?” He pressed.

“It’s very lovely here, but is quite different from what we’re used to. I’m sure in no time it’ll feel as comfortable as if we’d lived here our whole lives though,” Rose answered.

“It’s a bit different from what I remember as a child. But I suppose that’s bound to happen in time,” Rey chipped in to the conversation.

Finn mumbled something under his breath that sounded a lot like “and a regime change”, but she couldn’t be sure, so wisely chose not to comment on it. Out loud he said, “A lot of people are still in mourning. King Han was incredibly well-loved, and transitioning to a new ruler can be hard.”

Rey nodded and considered what he’d said. It could explain some of what she’d seen so far.

~~~

That night at dinner Ben was again subdued. Aside from greeting everyone and excusing himself when he was done, he did not speak at all. He remained tense the whole time, and Rey lamented that there were no warm smiles from him today. The whole situation made Rey’s stomach roll uncomfortably, causing the girl who was always starving to pick at the food on her plate, pushing it away completely after her betrothed had left the room.

Leia gave her a sympathetic look and asked if she was okay. She nodded and excused herself, blaming her lack of restful sleep the night before.

That night was much like the night before, full of bad dreams and restlessness. She awoke in the early morning and started her day.

Now that she had settled, her days were spent with advisors, planning her wedding. After breakfast one day, she headed out to a large sitting room where she met with a handful of planning assistants and the Queen. She had enquired of the lead advisor as to whether Ben ought to be with them, or whether he’d already indicated any preferences for the wedding. The older gentleman merely scoffed and stated that the King had advised that he would defer to her wishes for this most important day.

Something in the way this man relayed this information alarmed Rey, who was convinced that that was not what the King had said. And, given Ben’s current attitude, it was more likely that what he’d actually said was that he didn’t care about the wedding in the least. This realization hurt deeply, but Rey managed to maintain a happy expression and began the planning process nevertheless.

The first day was spent determining the guest list and seating arrangements. It was exhausting, and Rey looked forward to falling into bed, certain that tonight she’d fall into a peaceful sleep.

She was sadly mistaken.

~~~

As the days went by, she continued to struggle with sleep. She recognized it as a warning, but she couldn’t do anything about it in her current exhausted state. She knew that she needed proper rest, and so she excused herself from the wedding plans for the day and sneakily escaped to the stables. She prepared a horse and, as she walked towards the palace gates, she was stopped by a familiar figure.

“And just where do you think you’re going, your highness?” The voice of Poe, one of her personal guard, called from directly behind her, startling her and causing her to jump.

“I am bored being stuck inside all the time,” she grumbled. The lie on the tip of her tongue was issued easily, without even thinking about it. “I’ve decided to go for a ride through the forest and do some exploring.”

“And you thought you’d do this on your own? Without letting anyone know of your plan? In an unfamiliar country?” His voice grew more incredulous with each question. “Yeah, I don’t think so, Princess. Wait here while I get a horse ready.”

He turned and made his way briskly to the stables. She smiled at his speedy return and, together, they made their way through the gates and into the dense forest beyond the castle. They rode for a while, enjoying the crisp air and the leaves crunching beneath their horses’ hooves.

“Rey, I have to ask - are you okay? You haven’t been looking well since we got here and we’re all growing a little concerned, but haven’t wanted to upset you,” Poe asked, once they were far away from the prying ears and eyes of the castle. They’d been friends since childhood. It wouldn’t do for anyone to assume he was being disrespectful by not addressing her properly, but he wanted her to understand that he was speaking to her as his friend, and not his Princess.

She sighed. “I haven’t slept well since we arrived. I’ve been plagued by nightmares. The real reason I’m out here is to hopefully find some juniper bushes. When I was a child, Maz would create an oil from the berries and rub it on my temples and pillows to help chase away the bad dreams.”

“You should have told someone!” He declared, obviously upset. “Rose, at least. I know this whole thing has not turned out how you expected, and I’m sorry for that.”

“It’s not my future marriage that’s the problem, Poe! It’s that  _ man _ ! There’s something not right about him.” She was frustrated, not with Poe or his assumptions, but with her own abilities. She had studied for a large portion of her life, and should have thought to seek the medicinal berries sooner. She chastised herself for failing to ascertain exactly what it was about that weasel of an old man that vexed her so thoroughly.

“I know the King is a little weird, and you hear all kinds of talk around the palace, but that’s what I’m saying,” Poe said. “Princess, you  _ don’t _ have to do this.”

She pulled her horse in front of his, effectively blocking them, and faced him. “I am not speaking of Ben!” She declared angrily, her voice rising. “I’m talking about that weasel who’s always following him. No one will tell me a  _ thing _ about him, but he haunts me. He feels off in so many ways and I just can’t get a grasp of it. Ben isn’t my problem, he could never be. I’ve loved him since I was a child. And I’m certain that he loves me!”

Poe looked at her startled. “Weasel? You mean the old bald man?” He looked at her curiously. “That’s the King’s personal advisor, Snoke. I don’t know much about him, not even his full name, but word is he showed up the day Han died and has been by his side since then.”

Rey’s face became contemplative as she urged her horse to move again. “There’s something not right about this ridiculous situation.  _ Any _ of it.” She grew quiet and pushed her horse on its way.

Deep in the forest, Rey found what she was looking for and gathered a small pouch of the fragrant berries before climbing back onto her horse and making her way back. It wasn’t intentional, but she ignored Poe for the rest of their ride.

Upon returning to the castle, she excused herself to her room. Once there, she gathered her bag from its hiding place and pulled out several items. A pestle and mortar to mash the berries, a small vial of oil, an empty vial to mix the two in and, finally, a small purple and white stone. After creating her mixture, she placed a few drops on her pillow, a few on her temples, then placed the stone under her pillow and climbed into bed. She was asleep within minutes. Her first undisturbed rest since she’d arrived.

She slept through the rest of the afternoon and was awoken by a loud knock on her door, well after the sun had set. Rey bade them entry and a small maid entered, carrying a tray full of food and a pitcher of drink.

“You were missed at dinner, Highness. I was told to bring this to you.” The girl curtsied and brought the tray to her bed.

“Thank you,” Rey said gratefully. “I had no idea how late it was. I’ll place the tray outside when I’m finished.” With that, the girl was dismissed and Rey consumed the food with great enjoyment.

Her appetite sated, she immediately fell back into a deep sleep and didn’t awaken until late the next morning, when Rose knocked on her door to help her get ready for the day.

Apparently, she had missed a very important meeting the day before and she expected to face a very irate team of wedding planners later that morning.

~~~

With restored ability to sleep, Rey was feeling and looking much better.

The reinstatement of correct sleep patterns granted the added blessing of allowing her natural intuition and magical energy to work in correct alignment again. And, if Rey was to be perfectly honest with herself, the warnings regarding this  _ Snoke _ individual were more than a little concerning.

She’d attempted to extract information out of Leia about him. The Queen became suspiciously uncomfortable and refused to say anything beyond, “My son finds his input very helpful.” It was clear, however, that she did not like the man any more than Rey herself did.

Things were definitely not going as Rey had been anticipating for much of the past ten years, yet nothing was more upsetting than when she finally saw herself in her wedding gown during her first fitting.

Her initial thought, upon seeing how beautiful the layers of soft white fabric looked as they fell around her, was that she couldn’t wait to see Ben’s reaction to the heavenly gown. And then she remembered his dismissive attitude towards her, his complete lack of interest or attention. Aside from evening meals, she never saw him and, even then, he rarely spoke to her.

Large, invisible hands squeezed her heart and stomach at the thought, making her want to wretch and cry. She couldn’t breathe. She held up her hands to stop the bustle of everyone moving about the room, and gasped an excuse, before turning and exiting the room with haste. The finery of the palace corridors blurred into streaks of color as the voices of her attendants called out in her wake.

She blindly ran through the winding passageways, not paying attention to where she was heading until she finally hit a large bay window. She threw herself to the floor in front of it, fingers scrambling to unlatch and throw open the glass, desperately trying to catch her breath, a feat she finally achieved after several deep gulps of air. She rested for a few minutes, breathing and staring out the window.

As she was readying herself to stand and head back to finish her fitting, she heard voices reverberating along the walls from another hallway. She considered simply standing and composing herself, so whoever it was would continue on their way, but she recognized the voice from her nightmares so, instead, she glanced around quickly for a suitable hiding place.

An alcove sat halfway down the hall, with a statue of an ancient monarch placed in front of it. She stealthily moved towards it and squeezed behind the statue, pulling her voluminous skirts close to herself in the hope of remaining unseen. Hardly daring to breathe in case it alerted them to her, she listened.

“The girl is a distraction. You must do something about her, young Solo,” the voice said, with a determined malice that made her shiver.

“I’m doing all I can. It’s not like I  _ chose _ this,” uttered the voice of Rey’s suitor. “It was a contract made and cemented long before my rise to power. But she means nothing to me. Just some dirty orphan princess from a small desert kingdom, whose only benefit is to unite our lands and provide us a safe trade route.” Ben’s voice was quiet and wavered slightly. “We will be wed, produce heirs, secure my lineage. Beyond that, I have no ties to her.”

Rey’s heart broke to hear this, but something in his words rang decidedly untrue.

“See that you do not let it interfere with our plans. I’ve worked too hard to let some filthy  _ child _ ruin everything now,” the repulsive voice responded.

She listened as the footsteps passed and faded. She cautiously glanced around the statue and could have sworn that the King met her eyes as he turned the corner, his shame and fear reflecting back at her.

Alone in the hallway once more, she slid from the protection of the statue and returned to the room from which she’d fled.

Standing upon the dais, subdued and deep in thought, she apathetically allowed the dressmakers to undertake their necessary duties.

[](https://imgur.com/pb4drKy)


	3. You Better Stop the Things You Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confrontations, so many confrontations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check out the end of this chapter for the gorgeous mood board made by the talented [ Sunshineflying](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineflying/pseuds/sunshineflying)!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

[](https://imgur.com/fizFPEX)

A few days later, Rey found herself wandering the gardens in the company of Poe, who was pleased to see her looking so much healthier.

“I wanted to let you know,” he started quietly, “I asked around a bit about your friend, Snoke.” 

“And what have you heard?” Her interest was piqued.

“He apparently came out of nowhere. Showed up requesting an audience with the King shortly after his father’s death. From that point on, he became someone important. A few have tried to convince the King to be rid of him, but they usually disappear days later. Most people are off put by him but no one will say anything. Of those I asked, all refused to say anything at all. It’s like they’re afraid to even speak for fear of retaliation, maybe.” Rey’s guard relayed the information uneasily. “It seems your concern was correct.”

All of this fell in line with the information she’d gathered during a recent tea with Leia, who was very diplomatic in her responses regarding the older man. The look on her face displayed nothing other than distaste, but her words spoke of the man’s importance to Ben. It seemed very suspicious indeed.

“Thank you for asking around, Poe. I feel like the pieces are beginning to come together. Now, I just need to figure out what to do.” She rested her hand on his arm as she moved to sit on a stone bench. Glancing up towards the castle enveloping the courtyard, she noticed the curtains in an upper window moving as though disturbed by the breeze. The movement had initially caught her attention, but the window was closed and she’d never seen anyone in that area of the castle before. So very odd...

~~~

A few days before the wedding, Rey finally had some time to herself to just relax. Her family would be arriving on the morning of the wedding and she had no pressing commitments at this point, which suited her just fine.

She sat on a sofa next to the fireplace in the library, enjoying a quiet moment of reading. So lost was she in a fictional tale of adventure and daring, she didn’t hear someone else enter the library and approach her.

A withered hand grasped her arm and a raspy voice slithered its way into her ears.

“Good morning, Princess,” hissed the voice of Snoke, much too close for her liking.

“And to you, sir,” she said kindly, realizing that in no way could she make her distaste of him known. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced, though I know you to be someone of importance.” She reasoned that if she could charm him with compliments, she might be able to extract information from him.

“No, I don’t believe we have. But I believe that you do know me, just as I know you,” The man stated, with more than a hint of arrogance.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean, sir. And I must apologize - since I do not know your title, I do not properly know how to address you,” she said, giving him her meekest look.

“I am but an advisor to the King, Princess. You may address me in any way you see fit. But you  _ knew _ this, you have been asking about me. I have ears everywhere, my lady.” Now the raspy voice had transformed into a snide and unamused tone. Rey began to feel the icy fingers of discomfort scale her spine and regretted sending her guard away, but she certainly didn’t want  _ him _ to be aware of her unease.

“Well, I must admit I was curious, my lord. No one commented on your presence, but you were the only person I wasn’t introduced to upon my arrival,” she said diplomatically.

“Well, now you have been. It would be unwise to keep asking about, it might be construed as distrust and what an insult to the King  _ that  _ would be.” His predatory eyes spoke of undisguised threat.

“But I still do not know your name,” she protested, snapping the book she’d been holding closed and releasing a cloud of dust into the air. A sneeze caught her unexpectedly and sent the dust scattering freely into the atmosphere. “I apologize,” she said humbly, “that was incredibly rude of me, but it took me by surprise, mister...?”

He rubbed at his eye, irritated by the dust. “Not to worry ma’am, it could not be helped. My name is Snoke, that is all that anyone calls me, though, you are my superior in every way, so I shall defer to whatever you wish to call me, my lady.”

She smiled regally. “Then I shall call you by your requested name. I’m very pleased to finally meet someone so important to my future husband.”

She discerned a subtle twitch of his hand, clearly resisting a rub of his eye again. Eventually, the urge became too overwhelming and he vigorously swiped at it.

“Well, it has been a pleasure speaking with you, Princess, but I should be on my way before this dusty library causes me respiratory trouble.”

“Of course,” she stated, “but, forgive me - before you leave there’s something on your tunic. I would hate for you to look anything less than your impeccable self.”

She reached up and pulled something from his chest, showing him the red thread that had found its way to his person, clashing with his gold doublet.

“Thank you for your kindness, Princess. I’ll be seeing you soon.” His voice was once again sickly sweet and made her squirm.

The unsettling man departed, and she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She needed to return to her rooms immediately, but decided to give the man some time to move far enough from her to ensure she did not accidentally run into him again.

Once sufficient time had passed, she placed the thread inside the book she’d been reading and brought it close to herself, before quietly making her way out of the library and down the hall.

Padding quietly along the corridor, she heard a commotion as she was nearly halfway to her room. It sounded like the scuffling of feet and an angry voice, then a loud thud. She picked up her pace to investigate.

“What were you doing alone with her? How  _ dare _ you behave so forwardly with your future Queen! She is  _ mine _ and you are  _ not _ to touch her!” Rey thought the voice sounded like Ben, but she’d never heard him sound so angry or malevolent before. She rushed to the corner to see the person he was attacking.

Poe was pushed up against the wall, with Ben’s forearm pressed against his throat. The toes of his boots scrambled for purchase on the tiled floor.

“She is my charge,” he gasped out, “and my friend. I have been there for her, for decades! Where have you been, my King?” He sneered at the man holding him captive. “I protect her, I keep her safe! You  _ ignore _ her!”

The last of his sentence was cut off as the pressure on his throat increased, and he doubled the strength of his struggling.

“I don’t want you around her anymore! I will place her in the care of my own guard. I will not hesitate to kill you if I see you near her again!” Ben’s face was nose-to-nose with Poe’s now.

Unable to witness any more, Rey rushed forward to grasp Ben’s arm and pull him away from her guard.

“Ben stop! What do you think you’re doing?!” She grunted, trying to remove his iron grip from her friend.

Ben flicked his arm out to dislodge her, completely consumed by rage and seemingly uncomprehending, unaware of what was happening or who she was. With Ben’s arm no longer holding him up, Poe sank to the ground at the same time as Rey also hit the floor. A rush of air escaped her lungs as Ben’s unexpected strength pushed her away.

Hearing the gasp leave her, Ben turned and finally understood what he’d just done. He rushed to her side, crouching down to help her. “Rey, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know it was you.”

She looked at him exasperated. “Does that matter? It doesn’t make a difference  _ who _ was trying to stop you killing an innocent man! That doesn’t excuse you  _ shoving _ someone!” She gasped, still trying to catch her breath.

“Innocent man? He is hardly innocent. He cares for you more than he should as your guard. And he touched you! I saw it, in the gardens the other day!” Ben was clearly very upset, but his unjustified anger both irritated and troubled her.

“He is my friend! And I would rather have someone who  _ cared _ about protecting me than someone who simply did it because it was their job! You do not get to react like this. You haven’t even spoken to me in the month since I’ve been here!” She pulled herself up so that she was standing and walked over to help Poe up as well. “Poe is my friend, but I don’t love him, nor does he love me in the way  _ you _ seem to think. I’ve been in love with someone else since I was nine years old, but now I’m beginning to reconsider.” She gave him a pointed look and walked away, picking up the book she’d dropped when she’d fallen, and making her way once again to her bedroom. Poe followed behind her.

Shouts of frustration were heard, followed by something heavy hitting the floor. Ben had clearly taken his frustrations out on some inanimate object in the hall they’d departed.

“Thank you for coming to my rescue,” Poe said uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I can’t have my best guard dead because my soon-to-be- _ idiot _ -husband thinks he’s in love with me,” Rey said, and moved to enter her rooms. “Please don’t worry, Poe. That won’t happen again. It’s time to take care of this once and for all.” With that, she stepped into her chamber and closed the door before he could ask any questions.

Rushing to her hiding place and retrieving her bag, she took out an empty vial and opened the book she’d brought back with her. It was a bit of luck that gave her the opportunity she needed. Without a name, there wasn’t much hope of subduing the man, but she could make it work if she had something of him, something like a strand of hair.

She extracted the thread and with it, removed a single eyelash. It wasn’t much, but with the man being entirely bald, she didn’t have many options when it came to getting a piece of him. Placing the eyelash into the vial, she considered how fortunate she’d been in him choosing to accost her in the library, where she could blame dust for her craftiness. It was just icing on the cake that a string from the binding of her book had flown off when she shut it as well, allowing her to get close enough to actually collect the fallen eyelash. She just had to wait now.

[](https://imgur.com/y6XFux3)


	4. I Ain't Lyin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to take some action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small little update as we enter the best month of them all! I hope you enjoy, we finally earn our title.
> 
> Another lovely mood board was gifted to me for this fic, you can see it at the end of this chapter. Thank you so much [Ksco](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ksco/pseuds/Ksco)!

[ ](https://imgur.com/5uvEjH8)

The day before her wedding finally came. It also happened to be a sacred day for her. Today was her spiritual new year, and the perfect time for her to accomplish what she needed to do before she tied herself to Ben permanently. The barrier between the realms would be thinner, enabling her to receive assistance from her ancestors.

She spent the day finalizing wedding plans with the entire collection of advisors, checking the fit of her gown and making sure the throne room and Great Hall were ready for the ceremony. She hadn’t seen Ben since his meltdown with Poe, not even at dinners, but it didn’t matter - it would be resolved in time for their wedding.

When she returned to her room that evening, Rose was waiting for her, along with Finn.

“I’m so sorry to just drop in Rey, but Finn wanted to tell you something important.” Rose stood as Rey entered and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the fireplace to sit and listen to what Finn had to say.

“Rey, I’m sorry it’s taken so long for me to say anything. I just didn’t know how,” Finn began, clearly nervous, “But I didn’t feel comfortable allowing you to go through with all of this without you knowing the full truth.”

Rey reached out and patted Finn’s hand, “It’s all right, Finn. There’s honestly nothing you could tell me that would surprise me, but I’m taking care of it tonight. Everything will be perfect in the morning.”

Finn looked over at Rose unsure, apparently thinking that Rey sounded crazy. She just shook her head at him and motioned for him to continue.

“Okay, well, Ben hasn’t been right, basically since his dad died. Nobody says anything, but there’s some weird unhealthy connection between him and Snoke. Snoke handpicked his personal guard for him, myself included. One of his right-hand men is actually a woman. I’m almost positive that her purpose is not just for the King’s protection, but to put it delicately, service any other needs he may have. I cannot confirm this, but people talk, you know. And the King is rarely outside the presence of either Hux or Phasma, his right and left hands, I guess.” He rushed this all out as quickly as he could, sitting back and catching his breath once he’d finished.

Rey looked from Finn to Rose. She couldn’t lie and claim that this news didn’t hurt her. It absolutely did but, as Finn said, it wasn’t known for sure, and gossip is insidious. She sighed and paced the floor in front of the fireplace. After several minutes, she stopped and turned to face the other two. “Thank you, Finn. It took a lot of courage to tell me that and I very much appreciate it. But, as I said, everything will be sorted by morning. None of this will be a problem after tonight. Rose, you know what today is and what it means.” She glanced knowingly at her friend. “I thank you both, but I must ask you to leave so that I can prepare. I need to get myself into the right mindset to do what needs to be done.”

Rose nodded and reached to pull Finn out of his seat. He continued to look between the two women, curious and concerned.

“But, Rey, what are you going to do? I don’t think you’re safe here. And whatever you’re planning sounds dangerous.” Finn dug his feet in as Rose tried to pull him out.

“Please, Finn, I will explain things to you later, but Rey needs to be alone right now.” Rose yanked on his arm again.

“You won’t do whatever it is you’re doing alone will you? Please, Rey, at least make sure  _ one _ of your guard is with you?” Finn was still not satisfied.

“Yes, Finn, I’ll do as you say.” With that, she turned around and sat down in front of the fire once more, a clear dismissal. He looked to Rose and they both left the room.

~~~

Rey spent the next few hours in meditation, clearing her mind in preparation for the task ahead. A few hours before midnight, she gathered her bag from its hiding place. Stepping into the hall she looked around, careful to observe the presence of any guards. She walked to Rose’s room and knocked on the door. She didn’t want to hunt down Poe, her most trusted guard, but figured that Finn would likely still be with Rose, with her explaining Rey’s plan to him. She would ask them to accompany her.

She had apparently guessed correctly, and both agreed to join her. They quietly made their way along the edges of the castle wall and towards the guard entrance. They didn’t want to draw any attention to themselves by having the gates opened. Finn approached the man standing watch over the entrance and offered him a small break so he could get something to eat. Once he was out of sight, the two women joined Finn and, together, they exited, making their way into the forest, collecting firewood along the way in accordance with Rey’s instruction.

They reached a small clearing deep within the forest, far enough away that any smoke from their fire wouldn’t be visible to those in the palace. Rey tasked the other two with starting a small fire while she cleared a spot on the forest floor to form a circle, pushing the leaves and brush aside. From her bag she pulled a bowl, a black candle, a small dagger, the vial she had placed the eyelash in, a small piece of parchment and quill, and finally a small ream of black chord.

She returned to Rose and Finn. “All right, it’s almost time. Once I’ve begun, I need you both to be silent. No questions, Finn. Rose has seen all of this before, so I don’t worry about her, but you are inquisitive by nature. I will tell you anything you want to know tomorrow. Do you understand?”

They both nodded, and she moved back to her circle.

She kneeled and bowed her head quietly for a moment, sending a prayer to her ancestors asking for their assistance. Finally, she lifted her head and reached for the quill and small dagger. She pierced her finger with the dagger, collecting a small amount of blood on the tip of the quill. Quickly wiping her bleeding finger on her dress, she reached for the parchment and wrote Snoke’s name on it. It clearly wasn’t the man’s real name, but that’s why she had the eyelash as well. She was able to perform the spell with this assumed name, but having something of the actual person would strengthen it significantly. She would need all the added strength she could get.

She emptied the vial onto the page, and then folded the paper, trapping the eyelash inside. From here she wrapped the folded paper with the black chord, knotting it in place. She grabbed a small stick from the forest floor and turned to the fire beside Finn and Rose, lighting the tip, she returned to her circle. She reached out and ignited the wick of the black candle before shaking the flame out on the stick. Placing the small bowl into her lap, she took the wrapped parchment in her other hand and held it over the flame of the candle until the paper caught. She placed the flaming parchment into the bowl and began to speak.

“By air and earth, by water and fire, so be bound, as I desire. By three and nine, your power I bind. By moon and sun, my will be done. Sky and sea keep harm from me. Chord go round, power be bound. Light revealed, now be sealed.” She repeated this three times as the parchment quickly turned to ash.

She set the black candle beside the bowl, and let it burn down as she sat in silence envisioning her target and conveying her will to undo any harm wrought by the old man. Based on her nightmares, Rey was aware that he was a powerful spellcaster and whatever was going on with Ben was likely to be part of a spell as well. She willed the universe to take this man’s powers, as he had been using them for evil and balance needed to be restored.

Once the candle had burned down and extinguished, she picked up the bowl and moved to the base of a large tree. There, she dug a deep hole and shook the ashes out into the hole, before filling it back up with dirt and packing it into place.

She returned to her bag and put all her objects away. Suddenly a thought hit her - she wasn’t done yet, regardless of whether this was a spell or not, Ben had hurt her. He’d insulted her, potentially cheated on her, and lord only knew what else. She needed to ensure his loyalty in their coming union, for the best interests of their people as well, so her motivations were not entirely selfish. Reaching into the bag, she pulled out three candles, a red ribbon, a pink stone, and a few vials filled with liquid. She opened each vial, smelling them until she found the one she’d been looking for, and placed the others back in the bag.

Rey grabbed each consecutive candle, one red, one pink, and one white and rubbed the scented oil from the vial into each one, starting at the tip and pulling her hand towards herself each time. She set each candle into little notches in the dirt so that they stood on their own forming a triangle and placed the rose quartz stone in the center of this triangle, then returned to the fire with her stick, lighting it and taking it back to ignite the candles. She sat in front of the them and began to wrap the ribbon around her index finger, this time uttering no incantations, but instead visualizing her desires and setting them forth into the universe.

Ben would be loyal, he would be a just and merciful king. He would be a good husband, and son, and father. He would love her, as she would love him. He would be apologetic, and she would forgive him. Again, she repeated this until the candles burnt out. She removed the ribbon from her finger and wrapped it a few times around her left wrist before tying it in place. Then she packed everything up and turned towards her friends.

It was now the very early hours of the morning, closer to sunrise than set. All that was left was to sneak back into the castle and rest until the wedding.

Finn pushed dirt onto their fire, putting it out and casting them into darkness. They allowed their eyes to adjust for a moment before making their way to the castle walls and following them back to the guard entrance. Finn pushed the door open gently, checking to see who was on duty. Noting the guard was asleep, he ushered the women quietly in and they cautiously passed the slumbering man and silently stole into the castle. Finn escorted the ladies to their rooms to ensure they reached them safely and then stood watch so that they could get some uninterrupted rest.

[ ](https://imgur.com/2wdl2O1)


	5. Because You're Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you may have noticed we finally have a total chapter count. After this chapter, all that's left is the epilogue! Thank you all for coming along with me on this journey! I hope you enjoy this update, as we finally learn the outcome of Rey's spells!
> 
> As always, thank you to my wonderful, lovely, amazingly talented beta [fettuccine_alfreylo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fettuccine_alfreylo/pseuds/fettuccine_alfreylo).

[ ](https://imgur.com/Dnd33oZ)

Rey was awoken in the mid-morning to frantic knocking at her door. Eager to stop the infernal racket as quickly as possible, she unsteadily pulled herself out of bed, still exhausted from the energy she’d expended the night before.

As she turned the doorknob to pull the door open, it was pushed from the other side and Ben rushed in, practically slamming the door behind him. He fell to his knees in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist. A stream of frantic babbling issued from him, sounding a lot like muffled apologies as he pressed his face to the soft warmth of her belly. She reached up with her left hand, wrist still entwined with the ribbon from the night before, and ran her fingers through his hair in an attempt at comfort.

She grasped his dark hair tightly in her fingers and gently pulled his head away from her. “What are you saying? I can’t understand you.”

He looked up at her, his eyes appearing clear for the first time since she’d arrived. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened or why I was behaving the way I was, but you mean  _ everything _ to me. I have dreamed of marrying you for years and I did not wish to start this long-awaited day in my previous state, as I had been before last night. I want to begin our future on the best of terms, be the best husband to you. I do not wish to simply tolerate each other, I want for us to be in love. Can you please forgive my previous behavior, my love?”

She loosened her hold on his hair and continued running her fingers through his soft dark tresses. “Oh Ben, of course I forgive you. It wasn’t truly your fault now, was it?” She looked into his eyes knowingly and he nodded his agreement. “There is much to do to fix things though. And unfortunately, we don’t have enough time. We need to prioritize.”

Again, he nodded before releasing a breath and burying his face back into her belly, before pulling away altogether and returning to his feet.

“What can we accomplish before the ceremony?” He seemed doubtful that they’d be able to accomplish much in the time that they had.

“There are a few things we must do immediately. First and foremost, we need to round up Snoke, and anyone who might be loyal to him. They must be locked up as soon as possible. I’m assuming, of course, that you understand why Snoke needs to be imprisoned, correct?” She caught his eye so that he could see how serious she was.

“I may not know the specifics, but I understand that something happened when he arrived here, and that he isn’t good for me or this country. How do we know who’s loyal to him?”

“Honestly, that’s going to take some time. I would say we need to imprison anyone who has become a member of the royal guard since he arrived? We’ll have to weed the good ones from the bad later. We just need to make sure there is no one left to help him escape.” She paused, “Oh, everyone but Sir Finnegan, I can confirm that he is loyal to us.”

He thought hard on this, “That is almost all of the guard. When Snoke arrived, many of the original members went on their way.”

She paused, considering this information. “My men are loyal, and with my uncle arriving yesterday, we have even more at our disposal. They can help us. After the wedding, we can see about finding the previous guard and restoring them.” She paced, trying to decide on the best course of action for this situation.

“Okay, then that is where we will begin,” he went on to say more, but was interrupted by a knock on the door, before it opened to reveal Rose.

“ Oh ,  excuse me for interrupting.” Rose bowed low to the king. “I’m terribly sorry, but I was sent to get the Princess ready for the ceremony.”

“Of course, Your Grace. Before I depart, may I please apologize to you for my behavior since you’ve arrived in our Kingdom. I’ve been an absolute brute, and that is not how I wish to begin this new alliance with our countries.” He bowed deeply before her.

Rose glanced to Rey, who stood just behind the King, raising an eyebrow while smirking at her friend. Upon Ben’s rising once more, she looked into the eyes of her future ruler seriously. “You are absolutely forgiven, Your Majesty.”

“I thank you, sincerely,” he turned back to glance at Rey. “I shall go and speak to Sir Finnegan about our discussion, he should know who to rally to assist us?”

“Yes, he’ll speak with Poe and together they can get the troops moving and sequester Snoke. He will need to be searched, he can have nothing on him, and placed alone, away from any others. An oubliette perhaps? I’m afraid I never ventured into the dungeons in all of my exploring of the castle.” She smiled demurely at him, noticing the slight bristle in his features at the mention of Poe. 

“Okay, I will get everything squared away and then go and get ready myself,” He assured her. “Any other requests before we are officially man and wife?” His smirk was cheeky as he asked this.

“Actually,” Rey unwound the ribbon from her wrist as she spoke, “Would you mind giving this to the priest, I’d like for this to be used for the hand fasting ceremony.”

“Of course, my Queen.” He accepted the ribbon from her, bowing forward over her outstretched hand and kissing it like he had the day they arrived. 

“Not yet, but soon.” 

And with that he exited the room, leaving Rey looking longingly after him and Rose staring flabbergasted in Rey’s direction.

“I know what you’re going to say,” Rey said, shaking her head at Rose and moving towards the dressing table to brush her hair.

“I can’t believe it worked!” Rose chirped excitedly.

“Yes, well, with Snoke’s spell on him finally broken, and my extra bit of reassurance, we should be well on our way to restoring this Kingdom to its former glory. You don’t think I took it too far with that love spell, do you?” Rey’s hand paused in its task, as she glanced at Rose through the mirror.

“He was already in love with you, Rey. If he wasn’t already susceptible to its effects, it wouldn’t have worked. You know that.” Rose was quick to reassure her friend.

“I know, you’re right. It just feels a little underhanded after all that Snoke has put him through.” Rey set down the hair brush and turned to face her friend.

“Well, you know that if you want to end it, you just have to burn the ribbon. But as you’ve just given it up to be used in the ceremony, that’s not an option right now.” Rose stood before her, hand on her hips.

“It will be blessed by the priest before use. Any negative energy behind it will perish with the blessing. I thought of this already,” Rey raised an eyebrow and smiled cheekily as Rose. “Not the same as completely ending the spell, but it will ensure that any impulses against his will are gone.”

“Well, then you’ve nothing to worry about,” her friend reassured her.

“I suppose you are right.”

They were interrupted by another knock. Rose moved to crack open the door and send whoever was there away. However, upon seeing their latest guest she immediately moved back, bowing and opening the door wider to allow the Dowager Queen entrance.

“Good morning my dear. How are you feeling? Any wedding day jitters?” Leia spoke kindly, approaching Rey with open arms.

“Surprisingly, no,” Rey responded, accepting Leia’s hug. “I’ve waited my whole life to marry Ben. Every day since we met has been leading me to today. I just wish that my parents could have been here.”

Leia tutted sympathetically as she held her gently at arms length. “I know, sweet girl. I experienced the same heartache on my own wedding day. I lost both of my parents when I was a baby, and by the time I finally married Han, may he rest in peace, my adopted parents were dead as well.”

“I had no idea,” Rey gasped, tears filling her eyes. “I’m so sorry you had to experience that.” 

“Think nothing of it, what’s done is done. Now, will you allow me the honor of braiding your hair? It is Alderaanian tradition for the bride to wear the ceremonial braids. It represents the new bonds being forged on this day, and all of us coming together as one new family.” Her hand reached out to gently caress a strand of hair at the front of Rey’s face.

The tears previously gathered at the corner of her eyes broke free. “I would be honored,” she sniffled, running her hand under her nose unbecomingly before turning and sitting before the dressing table once more so that Leia could begin the intricate plaiting of her hair.

Rose excused herself to fetch the bride’s dress and give the two some privacy, as Leia began to regale Rey with stories of her youth, and her own wedding. 

Braids wrapped around the crown of her head, leaving the rest of her hair to flow down her back in soft curls. Rey gasped as she glimpsed the completed style in the small mirror on the wall. “Leia, this is stunning!”

“It’s only as beautiful as the person attached to it.” Leia beamed at her. “I was wondering if you might like, and please don’t feel pressured but if you wanted to, since you are family now, you could call me mother?” Leia looked at her hopefully.

“I haven’t called anyone mother in over nine years.” Tears began to leak from Rey’s eyes once more.

“Like I said, please don’t feel pressured,” Leia moved to reassure her.

“No! No, I mean, I would absolutely love that. I’ve missed having a mother so much. Thank you, Mother,” the feeling of the word in her mouth was foriegn, but it felt good. She smiled brightly at the older woman.

Leia pulled her into a tight hug, being careful not to disrupt her hair. However, a knock on the door interrupted the sweet moment between the two.

Rey pulled away, moving to open the door. Rose pushed herself in from the otherside, carrying a very bulky wedding dress, being careful not to wrinkle or ruin it in anyway. She had no desire to anger the high strung wedding committee; they’d likely have her head if anything happened to the dress.

“I apologize for my interruption, but I thought you might be needing this.” She moved across the room to gently lay her burden across the bed. “Also,” she turned to look into Rey’s eyes, “I ran into Sir Finnegan on my way to get the dress, he said he’d spoken with the King awhile ago, and the task he was given is done.”

Rey nodded, understanding the hidden meaning. However, Leia was more astute than they’d given her credit for and she looked at them both curiously.

“Just what is my son commanding on the morning of his wedding, when he should be focused on the most important moment of his life?” Her arms crossed in front of her chest and she raised an eyebrow at the two.

“Well, it would seem,” Rey began slowly, not sure how much to say or how to word it. “I mean, it appears that your son has had a bit of an awakening.” She fidgeted under the older woman’s scrutiny.

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, that he’s realized how dangerous Snoke is, and will be dealing with him once the wedding is over,” Rey rushed out, hoping that Leia wouldn’t ask too many questions.

“I see,” the Dowager Queen sized Rey up, as if she knew that somehow, this girl had something to do with it. “Well, in that case, this truly is a day for celebration throughout this Kingdom. I’m not sure how, but I know that you are responsible for this, my dear, and I can only thank you for that.” She winked conspiratorially at Rey and moved to exit the room, pausing with her hand on the door. “Oh, I was meaning to ask, have you heard from Maz since you’ve been with us? I always did love that old woman when I was younger, you’ll tell her I said hello, won’t you? She was one of my favorite teachers, though I must say, my brother was much better suited to her lessons than I was.” And with that she sashayed out of the room, a knowing smile on her face, leaving Rey and Rose shocked in their places, gaping at one another.

~~~

It didn’t take the two women long to get Rey into her dress, once they’d manage to pull their jaws off the floor after Leia’s insinuation. Within the hour, Rey was covered in a thin layer of makeup to hide any imperfections, a little rouge to give her a blush of innocence, and tied, rather tightly, into her dress. Once fully put together she was led out of the castle to the chapel that sat on the palace grounds. Two of her uncle’s guards stood on either side of the double doors, along with her uncle, who was waiting to escort her to her future husband.

Rey hugged her uncle before pulling back and wrapping her hand around his arm that he offered to her. Rose moved behind her to fluff out the train of Rey’s voluminous dress, before moving around her and heading into the church. 

Once Rose had reached the end of the aisle, the doors opened fully, revealing Rey to everyone gathered inside. Together, she and her uncle made their way down the aisle to where Ben waited anxiously. Within moments Rey’s uncle was placing her hand in Ben’s and they were turning to the priest.

The whole ceremony was a blur. She could not remember the vows which she spoke, and barely remembered the red ribbon being weaved around her and Ben’s clasped hands. She was not too worried as she had been in on the planning and knew that the promises they made were full of togetherness and equality. She was not about to bind herself to someone who would rule over her for the rest of her life.

When the ceremony ended, they were instructed to kiss. She looked nervously up into the face of the man she’d loved since she was a child. He smiled lovingly back at her, before gently pulling her close to himself and bringing her face up to meet his. It was sweet and almost innocent, a feeling of rapture flew through her as she was finally joined with this man. Her one desire since the loss of her parents. She had a family again.

They turned towards those gathered for this momentous occasion and Ben raised their bound hands into the air and they were announced man and wife and she was proclaimed Queen of Alderaan. 


End file.
